Roof top archery practice platform

ABSTRACT

A platform adapted for mounting on the roof of a garage or other building and being capable of supporting a hunter, thereby enabling such hunter to practice shooting from a level above ground level at a target at or near ground level.

This invention relates to a platform of such size as to providecomfortable and secure support for a person atop the roof of a buildingso as to enable the person to practice archery from an elevatedposition.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is common for archers who hunt deer and other animals to practice andimprove their skill by shooting arrows at a target while standing on theground at a predetermined distance from the target which also is on theground. A person can become quite proficient in having the arrows strikethe target at a selected position thereof.

It also is common for persons during deer or other animal hunting seasonto occupy a tree stand which locates the person at a desired level aboveground so as to minimize early detection by the animal. In the casewhere the hunter's weapon comprises a bow and arrow, the trajectory ofan arrow shot from a bow toward a target on the ground and from anelevated position often is quite different from that of an arrow shottoward a target on the ground by an archer who is also on the ground. Asa consequence, it is not uncommon for a hunter using archery equipmentfrom an elevated tree stand to miss the target.

Apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention enables an archerto practice shooting an arrow from an elevated position to a target onthe ground and thereby become sufficiently proficient to improve thelikelihood of having the arrow strike the target.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A person-supporting platform comprises a base of such size as to providesufficient area to support at least one person in a sitting or standingposition atop the roof of a building and at a selected height aboveground level, such as twelve to fifteen feet. A typical installation ison the roof of a garage or pole barn which typically has a pitched roofhaving two downwardly inclined sections extending in opposite directionsfrom a ridge line forming the peak of the roof. The platform issupported by vertically extending frame members which extend both belowand above the platform. Preferably, there are four such frame membersand each of them is secured at its lower end to an inverted V-shapedframe comprising two beams which underlie the platform and which divergefrom the central part thereof at angles corresponding to the pitch ofthe underlying roof sections. The platform is fixed to the roof of thebuilding by means of an anchor member at the lower end of each of thesupporting frame members. The anchor member has a flat section which mayunderlie a shingle and be secured to the roof by nails or the like. Eachanchor member also has an extension which extends beyond the overlyingshingle and overlies the next adjacent shingle. The extension isprovided with at least one upstanding flange which may be nailed orotherwise secured to the associated frame member, thereby fixing theplatform to the roof without risking leakage of moisture through theshingles.

At a level above the base the frame members are spanned by braces andrails which provide protection against a user's falling off the base.Hooks or other supports may be secured to the rails or supporting framemembers for the removable support of an archer's bow, quiver, clothing,or other equipment.

THE DRAWINGS

Apparatus constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is fragmentary, isometric view illustrating the platformsupported in an elevated position on a shingled roof.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the platform;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the platform; and

FIG. 4 is a greatly enlarged, isometric view illustrating theapplication of a platform-anchor member to a shingled roof.

THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Apparatus constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of theinvention is adapted for installation atop a garage, pole barn, or otherappropriate building 1 having a roof 2 at a height above ground level ofa selected distance and corresponding substantially to the level atwhich a tree stand (not shown) may be affixed to a tree. Typically, theheight of the roof 2 is such that a person-supporting platform 3 willenable a person to occupy a level between about twelve-fifteen feetabove ground. However, the platform can be mounted atop the roof of abuilding of any height.

The roof 2 is covered by shingles 4 each of which, as is shown in FIG.4, has a mat section 5 from which a plurality of tabs 6 extend, each tabbeing spaced from its adjacent tab by a slot 8, as is conventional. Eachshingle conventionally is placed on an underlayment (not shown) atop theroof structure and is nailed, stapled, or otherwise secured to the roofstructure, such nails or staples passing through the mat portion of theshingle. The shingles are so arranged that the mat portion of a lowershingle underlies the tabs of the next adjacent upper shingle and thetabs are so arranged as to overlie the nails or staples by means ofwhich the mat section of each shingle is secured to the roof.

As is shown in FIG. 1, the roof 2 is a pitched roof and has two sections9 and 10 which extend in opposite directions from a ridge line 11. Thesections 9 and 10 diverge downwardly from the ridge line and at the sameor substantially the same angle to the horizontal.

The person-supporting platform 3 comprises a base 12 having a flat uppersurface on which a person may stand or sit. The base is secured in anysuitable manner to a framework 13 comprising four parallel, spacedapart, upright frame members 14 joined together by braces 15 and crossmembers 16. The upper ends of the frame members 14 are spanned by rails17 which, together with the cross members 16, provide security against aperson's falling off the base 12. The frame members and rails extendalong three sides of the platform. The fourth side is open in adirection away from the adjacent roof edge to enable a person safely andeasily to access the base.

A stabilizing structure 18 underlies the platform 12 and overlies someof the shingles 4 of the roof 2. Reinforcing structures are provided andeach includes an inverted, V-shaped frame member 19 fixed to the base 12by known securing plates 20. Opposite ends of the members 19 are securedto the frame members 14 adjacent the lower ends thereof by means ofadditional securing plates 21. The angle at which the members 19 divergefrom the center region of the base 12 corresponds to the pitch angle atwhich the roof sections 9 and 10 diverge from the ridge line 11. Thus,each of the reinforcing frame members 19 lies flat upon the uppersurface of the roof shingles.

It is contemplated that the platform 1, after installation atop a roof,will remain in such position for at least a limited period of time, suchas a few days before and during a hunting season. To guard against theplatform's being displaced by wind, a known anchor member 22 is providedat the lower end of each of the frame members 14. Each anchor membercomprises a preferably metal body 23 having a flat mounting section 24adapted to be placed in a position in which it underlies a shingle tab 6and overlies a shingle mat 5, as is shown in FIG. 4. The mountingsection 24 is provided with a plurality of openings, some of which areshown at 25, through which headed nails 26 may pass so as to secure theanchor member 23 to the roof and in a position atop the mat section 5 ofan underlying shingle.

Each anchor member 22 has an attaching section 27 provided with a pairof parallel, spaced apart flanges 28, the spacing between the flangesforming a groove having a width corresponding substantially to thethickness of the lower end of a frame member 14. Each flange hasopenings 29 therein through which nails may pass to secure the flangesto the lower end of the adjacent frame member 14. To enable as secure aspossible the connection between the frame member 14 and the anchormember, the lower end of each frame member is inclined as is shown at 30in FIG. 2 so as to correspond to the pitch of the associated roofsection inasmuch. Each anchor member will occupy a position in which itsbody sections are parallel to the underlying roof section.

To condition the apparatus for use, the platform is installed on theroof of the building and, preferably, adjacent one end thereof. A target31 may be placed on the ground or on the trunk of a tree 32 at adistance from the building corresponding substantially to that at whichthe user intends to shoot at the animal being hunted. Since the platformand a hunter sitting or standing thereon are at an elevated level withrespect to the target, the hunter will be able to practice shooting froman elevated position to a target at ground level and thereby improve thechances of striking an animal on the ground.

As a convenience, some or all of the rails 17 may be provided with hooks33 from which hunting equipment and/or garments may be suspended.

When desired, the platform may be removed from the roof by lifting theshingle tabs which overlie the attaching part 24 of the anchor member,removing the nails 26, and then removing the anchor device from theroof. Whatever tabs have been lifted may be restored to their flatcondition atop the underlying shingle mat so as to cover the holesthrough which the nails 26 passed, thereby preventing exposure of thenail holes to rain or snow.

This disclosure is representative of a preferred embodiment of theinvention, but is intended to be illustrative rather than definitivethereof. The invention is defined in the claims.

1. A platform construction adapted to provide support for a person atopa pitched, shingled roof having adjacent inclined roof sectionsextending in opposite directions from a ridge, said constructioncomprising a base member; a framework for supporting said base memberatop a roof, said framework having frame members extending to a levelbelow that of said base member for engagement with selected shingles onsaid roof; an anchor member having a first section adapted to underliepart of a selected one of said shingles and a second section adapted tooverlie at least part of another of said shingles underlying saidselected one of said shingles; means for securing said second section ofsaid anchor member to said framework; and means for securing said firstsection of said anchor member to said roof in underlying relation tosaid selected one of said shingles.
 2. The construction according toclaim 1 wherein said framework includes reinforcing frame membersconnected to said base member and extending therefrom at anglescorresponding substantially to the pitch of said roof sections.
 3. Theconstruction according to claim 1 wherein said frame members extend tothe level above that of said base member, selected ones of said framemember being spanned by safety rails above said base member.
 4. Theconstruction according to claim 1 and wherein said second section ofsaid anchor member has at least one upstanding flange engageable with anadjacent frame member.
 5. The construction according to claim 1 whereinsaid second section of said anchor member has a pair of spaced,upstanding flanges, the space between said flanges correspondingsubstantially to the thickness of an adjacent frame member.
 6. Theconstruction according to claim 1 wherein the means for securing saidfirst section of said anchor member to said roof comprises openings insaid first section for the accommodation of nails.
 7. A platformconstruction for supporting a person atop a roof having shingles and twoadjacent sections extending at corresponding angles to the horizontal inopposite directions from a ridge between said sections, saidconstruction comprising a flat base member; a framework havingupstanding frame members fixed to said base member and extending tolevels above and below that of said base member, said framework alsohaving frame members supported atop shingles on said roof and extendingat angles corresponding to the angles at which said roof sectionsextend; anchor means securing said framework to said roof, said anchormeans comprising a plurality of body members each of which has a firstsection underlying a selected one of said shingles and a second sectionjoined to said first section and extending therefrom a distance tooverlie another shingle adjacent said selected shingle; attaching meansupstanding from said second section; and means affixing said attachingmeans to an adjacent frame member.
 8. The construction according toclaim 7 wherein said attaching means comprises at least one flangeextending upward from said second section of said anchor member adistance sufficient to bear against a face of said adjacent frame memberand being fixed thereto.
 9. The construction according to claim 8wherein said attaching means comprises a second flange parallel to andspaced from said first flange a distance sufficient to form a groove inwhich said adjacent frame member is accommodated.
 10. The constructionaccording to claim 7 wherein each of said frame members has a free lowerend inclined at an angle corresponding to the pitch of the adjacent roofsection.